The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-12-17
HARPER TALKS.
Against the Advice Of Wife and
Attorneys the Defendant
Testifles.
He Blnmcs All His Troubles on Wiltshire
and Flatiy Denies Any Connection with
the Wheat Deal.

He Biames All His Troubles on wiltshire
and Flatiy Denies Any Connection with
the wheat Deal.
CINCINNATI. Dec. 3.--Thc trial to-day was not
able for the number Of prominent citizens who
took the witness stand fora very brief PERIOD
Briggs Swift was in the box for about five min
utes. but added nothing new to his previous
statements. He was trife nervous and shift
ed about uncasi1y. Mr. Wm II. Chatfcld told
what he knew In exactly two minutes. The
court did not deem the question OF SUFFICIENT
Importance to be considered, und Mr.. Sol. p.
ISincon followed Mr.. Chat6eld, to be served In
the same way. He had hardly planted
himself coolly in the spacious chair
and placed hi8 arms on each
side Of the railing in comfortable manner
when he was informed, "That will do. Mr..
Kneon." To the surprise OF every body MIR.
Ilineon wus not asked why he left the directory
of the Fidelity Bank. IIx-Mayor Means was
called to testify to his appraisement OF the
Riverside mills, but he was smarter than the
lawyers, and he smilingly departed. Hon.
Richard Smith was also witness.
The appearance of A. p. Gnhr, the boy director
and protege of Harper, as witness for the
Government, excited interest. The young
man had to tell the truth, and some OF
his testimony was very damaging to his
Olu p"''oh' D''"b 49,
testimony Gahr never once looked
at Harper, but the prisoner kept his
eyes intently fixed upon the young man.
CINCINNATI. Dec 5.-Discount Clerk Yowell
took the stand to state that he had made memor-
andums in his books fthe 81 100000 bills rcccv-
able Of the bank sent to the Chemical National
Bank rs collateral and that to his knowledge
no entries Of the transaction had been made on
the general books OF the bank. In listing the
notes he had registered each one Of them In or
der that he might identify them. He received
no special instruction from Harper to this effect.
j. Harry Walters, expert, recalled, and iden-
titled draft signed by Harper. dated May 81,
drawn on the Chemical Bank for "a. .33 paya-
BILE to the order of Western National Bank Of
New York; there was nn account with that
bank but. there was no entry made Of this draft.
Witness was in the Fidelity Bank March II
when the Bank Examiner nude his examina-
tion. An addition was made to the fuH1s OF
bank by borrowing 800 90 from tho Metropoli-
tan National Bank of Cincinnati; witness
thought It was borrowed by Harper; saw the
money in package on his desk. took the
money back on the afternoon OF the 18th. This
money was shown to the Bank Examiner US
part OF the funds OF the Fidelity. Mr.. Walters
then testified as to the condition of the bank on
the day Of its suspension. The liabilities OF
the Fidelity National Bank June 60 1887, were,
as sho,pn By the books of tie bank. 81 ,9s6. .95
total liabilities OF the bank, s6,3S0S55.7O. AS
sets: Bills receivable, s3,G90, ,72342; "other as.
SETS" 2,164 1885, total assets at date of sus
pension, s5,871 ,O4455: Assets collected by Re-
| ceiver good, sl,174,43s.T7 Doubtful assets.
SOLE, ,5171T; worthless s2,49i,5l113; total assets
on hand S45S4, ,5a7O7; total assets. s5.ST ,0i455
Total liabilities Of Fidelity. $3.50, ,s557 20; org
nal capital paid in, 81 900 000 total 81 $50 $50 20
| Total worthless assets, &2,d94,51113; good and
| doubtfut assets still remaining in hands of re
| cever, of which so15 5,517.17 are doubtful, S3,
| 3T8 533.42. Total deficiency, S4,00f, ,3s1.2S
Ex-Judge John s. Conner, assignee Of the
| Riverside Iron and Steel Company. was called
| to the stand and testified that he found the
| assets OF the concern 10 be 1869, the rolling mil
being sold for $4,000 The title of the propcrt,
| is now in litigation, the assignee claiming
possession of the property under deed from Har
| per and other considerations
Major H. p. Lloyd, trustee Of estate Of e. L
| Harper, under the latters assignment. wa.
called, and testified that the amount of his as
| sets consisted of real estate principally The
| Riverside rolling mill was sold for $4,000; two
houses and lots on Fourth street, S25, 900; house
| and lot on Laurel street, 5000, and persona
| property amounting to 5000 The liabilities
| ! am informed officially and informally, are
Claim Of Chemical Bank s25,0OO: claim o
| Western National Bank, New York, 100000
| claim Of Chicago parties, Sl,3O0OOO; suit filed
| of Receiver VS.. Harper ct al, $4,000 civi
suit on "Grasshopper road" deal, S3O0,OOO.
| CINCINNATI, Dec. 6.-The trial Of l.. L. Har
| per is drawing to a close. 1t is probable thu
Government will finish their side tomorrow
| and then the defense will have q chance. From
| what can be learned the prisoner will be the
| only witness in his own behalf His former
| friends have nearly all been heard on the othc
! side, and the eX-bank manager has to depend
| entirely upon himself and his attorneys.
VIM. Teuchter was the first witness placed OF
the stand. He is the individual booE-keepcr o
the German National Bank Of this city. HI
was questioned as to the check for soc, 900. dat
| ed May 90, drawn by the Swift's Iron and Stec
| Works against the German National which
| check, however, never passed through thu
| clearinghouse for collection, but was carried al
a cash item in the Fidelity Bank. Mr.. Teuchte
testified that on the day on which this checl
was drawn their bank had a trivial balance o
G45 20 on their books to the credit of Swift
Iron and Steel Works; ergo, had this checl
been presented it would not have been paid
Frank Marchand individual book-keeper o
| the First National Bank OF Cincinnati wa
called. His testimony was for the purpose o
showing the condition OF the account OF VIII
SHIRE EclSert & Company with the First Nation
| oil Bank, to the end that the jury might b
shown that the checks drawn by Wiltshire
Eckert & Company against the First Nationa
Bank and carried in the cash OF the Fidelit.
Bank, would have been worthless had they eve
been presented for payment.
e. F. Gay, individual book-keeper of the Mer
| cnunLS NutlOnal Bank OF tnlS clty, leStlHc'
that j. w. Wiltshire & Co. kept an account witt
their bank but that the check dated Februar
/, for SS756,4 was not good, as their balanc
was only S090S: check dated February Z, H.
$500. not good, their balance being but ssaT. On
cheek dated February 16, for S10500, no good
check of May q for 900, no good, their balanc
being s3,2S1.4O
Joiic ~. Colling, jr., individual ooolS-keeper @
the Fidelity National Bank, testified as to hi
knowledge of Wiltshire, EcSert & Co. uccoun
with the Fidelity from September. 1885, t
April Z, 1887 He testified that during that pt
riod, and from January to April Z, 1887, tn
account OF Wiltshire, Eckert & Co. was ovel
drawn several times; that he referred thes
overdrafts to Mr.. Harper who told him to hol
them for day or two, and II the account was nc
balanced to do so and return 1t to him. H
balanced the pass-book Of Wiltshire, Eckert
Co. O number OF times; sometimes he receive
1t from the firm, but occasionally 1t was handle
him by Mr.. Harper
Broker J. W. Hoyt was recalled to identif
letter OF credit, not before offered in evidenct
Itwas dated March 10, 1887, addressed to Orr
Coomb, brokers, Chicago, advising them tho
$4,000 had been deposited In the Fidelity I
their credit by j. w. Hoyt to cover o fivc-cer
margin on u million bushels OF wheat purchase
by Orr g. Coomb on Mr. Hoyt's orders for Be
Hopkins. Witness received remittance frol
Chicago for Ben Hopkins June 10. The SUI
was e801, sO825; was instructed to turn It owe
TO Wiltshire, Eckert Co. by Mr. Hopkins
Hopkins demanded the money OF me but didn
pay him then, because Kershaw c.
: claimed they could not pay 1t until the
got their margins on other deals thl
they had. Kershaw said that he was satisfe
that the deals for Wiltshire, Eckert & Co. an
! for myself were for the same person. II was @
that account that he based his refusal to tur